Apr 9 (SO) The country’s energy system is being tested—this time by a convergence of forces that range from the predictable rhythms of weather to the unpredictable shocks of global geopolitics. As reservoir levels fall, fuel shipments face delays, and electricity demand surges in the oppressive heat, the Govt is faced with a challenge : how to keep the lights on without pushing the system beyond its limits. more..

Apr 9 (CT) Tragedies happen now and then, sometimes too often, as many around the world today would sadly confirm. There are some that could have been avoided and others that were too late to have been saved by human intervention or interception so that nations and their peoples would survive to pursue the glorious futures embedded in their minds. But there is another kind of tragedy which is really tragi-comedy, the product of some who consider themselves comedians more..

Apr 9 (DM) Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila has stolen the limelight at least for a few weeks by launching his book Searching for the Mastermind of the Easter Sunday Attacks, despite it disappointing many Gammanpila in his book as well as his speech at the book launching ceremony had concluded that Zahran Hashim, the leader of the National Thawheed Jama’ath (NTJ) that carried out suicide bomb explosions in eight places on April 21, 2019, was the mastermind of those attacks. more..

Apr 9 (CT) SL entered the current Yala agricultural season with fertiliser stocks, covering roughly 60% of what its crops require, after the conflict that erupted in the Persian Gulf in late February triggered the cancellation of approximately half the country’s outstanding import orders. World urea prices rose from USD 460 to USD 690 per MT between the end of Feb and 30 March, and the country’s primary supplier, China, more..

Apr 9 (GV) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his NPP party swept into power with the support of voters in the North and East, voters who usually place their confidence in Tamil political parties. But one year one, while still popular, the president and his govt are slowly losing support and credibility as they make little progress on the issues that are most important to the people in the North and East. Groundviews spoke to Mahendran Thiruvarangan, Senior Lecturer at the Jaffna Uni and more..

Apr 9 (DM) It is normal for patients to spend almost an entire day at a govt or private hospital in SL. It takes hours to complete their registration, doctor’s consultation and then obtain medicines from the pharmacy. Even for a common sickness like a fever, it is quite difficult to grab the attention of nurses or the supporting staff to get the temperature checked as they stick to strict procedures at times. The situation is no different at private hospitals, especially for doctors in high demand. more..

Apr 8 (DM) A woman from Maharagama has been arrested over allegations of defrauding more than Rs 10 Million by promising foreign employment opportunities in countries including Albania and Canada, SLBFE said. They said the suspect had been operating under the guise of a student visa agency called Global Educare Consultancy, where she reportedly collected large sums of money from individuals across the island by promising overseas job placements. more..

Apr 8 (NW) MP Ramanathan Archchuna has publicly shared his Parliament salary slip for March 2026, stating that the public should be aware of the earnings received by MP. According to the document shared by the MP, the gross monthly salary and allowances amounted to Rs. 415,169.93. After deductions totalling Rs. 19,308.71, net salary credited to his account was Rs. 395,861.22. The salary breakdown includes a monthly allowance of Rs54,285, telephone allowance of Rs50,000 more..

Apr 8 (AD) National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd. has requested the PUCSL for a further 15% increase in electricity tariffs for the second quarter (April-June) of 2026, in addition to the 10% tariff increase that has already been implemented for the same quarter. National System Operator (Pvt) Ltd (NSO), one of the state-owned private companies established after dissolving the CEB, had submitted its revised generation cost more..

Apr 8 (TM) Multilateral financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank is expected to buffer against the potential impact of dwindling foreign reserves as SL’s tourism arrivals drop, and debt repayment obligations arise this month, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in parliament yesterday. The assistance includes $ 700 million from the IMF, $ 1.2 billion from the ADB, and additional World Bank funding for development projects. more..

Apr 8 (TM) Around 99% of transactions in Sri Lanka are still made in cash, as Rs. 6.3 trillion cash-based transactions were made in the fourth quarter of 2025, while QR-based transactions remained below Rs. 400,000, said Minister of Digital Economy Eng. Eranga Weeraratne speaking at the National Payment Adoption Launch Programme yesterday under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. “Sri Lanka has been able to establish advanced digital facilities so far. more..

Apr 8 (NW) Fast bowler Nuwan Thushara’s legal challenge against SLC over the refusal to grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the 2026 IPL has drawn international attention, with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) expressing concern over players being forced to take legal action to secure playing opportunities. WCA CEO Tom Moffat said the situation reflects a broader global issue regarding player rights more..

Apr 8 (AD) Strengthening local industries is a primary objective of the Govt, and there are plans to expand opportunities for domestic businesses in meeting Govt procurement needs in the future, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated. Prez made these remarks during a discussion held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat with the Ceylon United Business Alliance (CUBA). During the meeting, extensive discussions were held on the challenges faced by local industries more..

Apr 8 (AD) The newly renovated Pettah Central Bus Stand has been officially opened to the public today. The event was attended by Minister of Transport and Highways Bimal Rathnayake, Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena and the Commander of the SL Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Edirisinghe, among others. The renovation was carried out under the govt’s Clean Sri Lanka initiative, with the aim of improving facilities and enhancing convenience for commuters using the bus stand. more..

Apr 8 (DM) Claiming that the electricity tariff increase implemented on April 1 was not a result of the current crisis, Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday the current estimates suggest that losses over the three-month period may reach approximately Rs. 32 billion and that the people will have to bear Rs. 10 billion out of it while the govt and the electricity companies will bear the rest of Rs. 22 billion. Making a special statement in Parliament, he said more..

Apr 8 (DM) In a bid to restrict reporting of child abuse, PM Harini Amarasuriya hinted that the govt is looking into the possibility of introducing some regulatory system in order to safeguard the victims from the suffering they have to undergo following media reports on their plight. PM who is also the Minister in charge of Education said regulatory framework pertaining to the reporting of child abuse is considered as media is engaged in reporting on child abuse by uncovering more..

Apr 8 (DM) Despite having a principled position that SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier, should be revitalized, the govt still remains undecided whether it should involve the private sector or retain sole authority, according to Minister Anura Karunatilake. The restructuring of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is a core pillar of the IMF EFF programme for SL. It is designed to address fiscal risks and restore long-term debt sustainability. more..

Apr 8 (ANI) Indian High Commissioner to SL Santosh Jha took part in the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard and Dredging Corporation of India. High Commission said that the Indian maritime sector also stands to benefit from the high skill set of the Colombo Dockyard. High Commission said, "High Commissioner Santosh Jha witnessed the signing of the MoU for Cooperation between Colombo Dockyard & Dredging Corporation of India. more..

Apr 8 (DM) Public consultation has commenced on the report of the committee appointed to submit recommendations for the establishment of an Education Council in SL. The proposed Education Council, introduced under the guidance of PM and Minister of Education, aims to enhance the overall standards of the country’s education system. Its key objectives include legislation, quality assurance, accreditation of programmes and institutions, and certification of education professionals. more..

Apr 8 (EN) Opposition MP has questioned the central bank’s supervision role in the NDB fraud, pointing out that billions of rupees had gone out of the country without getting flagged, and pointed out that the same central bank which handles the EPF is investing in NDB Bank. “When an average person tries to transfer 100 rupees out of the country, they have to answer a 4-5 page questionnaire saying why they are sending it, more..

Apr 8 (NW) Sri Lanka recorded nearly 15 million local malware incidents in 2025, with more than a third of users affected by threats spread through offline methods such as USB drives and removable media. Data from the Kaspersky Security Network showed 14,960,244 local malware incidents between January and Dec 2025, with 37.4% of users in SL targeted by threats spread through removable devices including USB drives, CDs, and DVDs. SL ranked 48th globally for local threat exposure. more..

Apr 8 (NW) Kuwait Airways has announced that it will commence direct flight operations to Colombo, starting Wednesday (15). The new service is expected to strengthen air connectivity and provide greater travel opportunities between the two countries. According to the airline, flights will operate weekly every Wednesday. The outbound service departs Kuwait at 01:30 hrs and arrives in Colombo at 18:05 hrs, while the return flight departs Colombo at 19:05 hrs and reaches Kuwait at 03:30 hrs. more..

Apr 8 (Island) The SL Computer Emergency Readiness Team (Sri Lanka CERT) has reissued a public warning regarding a significant increase in online scams and financial fraud attempts circulating across social media platforms during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season. Sri Lanka CERT has observed that cybercriminals are actively exploiting the festive period when online engagement is at its peak to manipulate public trust and target unsuspecting individuals. more..

Apr 8 (FT) Sri Lanka is once again at a turning point. The headlines speak of debt restructuring, foreign investment and productivity, but beneath the macroeconomics lies a quieter, more personal story: thousands of capable Sri Lankans who simply do not feel ready to lead. The crisis is not a lack of talent; it is a lack of inner confidence to match the complexity of the roles now opening up at home and abroad. In boardrooms and project teams from Colombo to London, early and mid-career more..

Apr 8 (NW) Prez Anura Kumara Dissanayake, meeting with the Council of Arab Ambassadors accredited to Sri Lanka at the Presidential Secretariat today, expressed Sri Lanka’s hope for the early restoration of peace in the Middle East. During the discussion, the ambassadors briefed the President on the challenges faced by countries in the Middle East amid the prevailing conflict situation, more..

Apr 8 (EN) Cabinet has cleared awarding a JICA funded contract valued at 628.10 million Japanese Yen (Rs. 2,660.70 million) for the expansion of the A'pura North Water Supply Project Phase II to Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd. The contract is for laying distribution mains and providing service connections in the Kahatagas Digiliya, Horowpathana, and Rambewa divisional secretariat divisions, aimed at providing safe drinking water to areas currently dependent on unsafe groundwater. more..

Apr 8 (AD) Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health has issued a set of guidelines to prevent accidents and acute medical conditions during traditional Avurudu games and events organized during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season in SL. These guidelines have been issued specifically to focus on festive games such as pillow-fighting (Kotta Pora), Kana Mutti Bindima, cross-country running (Gama Haraha Divima), cycling, swimming, rowing, more..

Apr 8 (CI) SL captain Chamari Athapaththu has no immediate plans to retire, according to new head coach Jamie Siddons. In her 16th year of international cricket, the 36-year-old remains the rock of the national side and is reportedly energised by the team's new tactical direction. Athapaththu's future has been a constant topic of debate, particularly following the 2025 ODI World Cup in India, but Siddons' comments more..

Apr 8 (AD) PM Harini Amarasuriya has instructed officials to expedite the completion of compensation payments for those affected by the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The directive was issued when the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Presidential Task Force met at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of the PM. Extensive discussions were held on the current progress of the Rebuilding Sri Lanka programme and its future plans during the meeting more..

Apr 8 (FT) The auditing profession occupies a critical place in modern economies. Auditors are entrusted with safeguarding financial integrity, protecting investors, and ensuring that corporate entities adhere to accepted standards of accountability. Yet an uncomfortable question is increasingly being raised: who examines the internal labour practices of the very firms entrusted with auditing others? Recent discussions surrounding the working conditions of audit trainees in SL have drawn attention to more..

Apr 8 (EN) Colombo Stock Exchange closed up on Wednesday, with banks pushing turnover. ASPI was up 4.21%, or 885.14 points at 21,917.60. The S&P SL20 was up 4.42%, or 257.68 points at 6,090.50. The two-week ceasefire announcement by the US has seen investors coming back into the market and panic buying, analysts said. John Keells Holdings (up 6.49% at Rs.19.70), Commercial Bank (up 5.01% at Rs.209.75), Hatton National Bank (up 3.95% at Rs.414.00), more..

Apr 8 (FT) On a clear morning in Norochcholai, the three concrete stacks of the Lakvijaya power station stand against the sky like fingers pointing at an accusation nobody wants to read. The plant generates about a third of SL’s electricity. It is the country’s only coal-fired power station, and it has been, by almost any measure of regulatory compliance, operating outside the law for most of its existence. The story of Norochcholai is not simply one of a badly run power plant. more..